Thursday 24 February 2011

Technology Tools Up the Artist & UK Cultural Leadership Clubs Put My Name On The List

So you put forward proposals (they say they cannot fund it - oh well Further Education Univerisities have been cut ) and you send poems to people who never write back which you dont expect in the literary game (I would at the very least expect acknowledgement of receipt - so you know it did not disappear into cyber space ) You know there is Further Education money around, it just wont be coming our way i.e. professional independent artists based in the community that I work with . So much for boosting the local creative economy then !

More freedom beckons on internet radio platforms, other publishing platforms and the such like - the bigger the platform the better, seems to work out best ! Creative Commons seems a useful tool - as it is best avoid intellectual property problems. The internet is always there to offer a cornucopia of possibilities, to maintian creative thrust in order for artists to get work and eat !! I have lost count now how much work I get from facebook or how handy twitter is ....a flip camera for recording rehearsals etc. I use alot of new ITC tools as an artist more than I ever could have thought of -say a few years ago.

The current project fundraiser is taking me to task and I feel a real sense of forward momentum, the whole project now seems so incredibly innovative. I understand alot of people that had to consider the project -probably did not grasp it fully. Or indeed its eventual scale. I now see the funding request was far far too modest, given the creative technical challenges and beautiful vision. More importantly its more the 'awe' factor rather than the 'wow' factor that should be aimed for . This is typical of BME artists and Cultural Leaders as they have been undervalued for long . So they undervalue themselves within a harsh arts cultural landscape (it has always been so i.e. see the statistics not just now - hence the need for 'Rebel Dreamin' - by Gaylene Gould Clore Fellow.)

I am no different I realise this dramatically - it is as if I have been operating in a cramped space for years ( and so many BME artists before me ) , not able to spread my limbs . When I all I needed was a far bigger space in order to grow , to create, take risks, to experiment fully ....this is what creates low aspiration. It also something of a feature of the region I based am in - it is caught as is is as the 'Middle Lands' (needing to big it self/identity up more ) between London, Birmingham and Manchester . So how will things change , without Black Minority Ethnic Cultural leaders ( three generations down the line now) taking their righful place, to gain more recogniton and crucially be more valued in terms of their vital contribution overall to UK arts and culture historically? How do I get my name on that list, that gets you on all the other important lists, in terms of Cultural Leadership in arts & culture ? When do we really get this truly diverse party started in the arts cultural club in the UK ? All these thoughts will be part of my consideration for a blog about being part of the my region's Cultural Olympiad, as an emerging Writer that I have been asked to write for one of my region's literature website.

Monday 7 February 2011

Post Code Arts Lottery Taking a Punt Dancing To My Own Rhytm

I have been aware some of my peers, fellow BME artists have been busy , funding bids, they often need references who will offer this especially if they are emerging artists ? Big arts events, (and big jobs too) are being planned for the region. A couple of things, done today for myself I have sent 'Cats Leap' a poem to an internet radio station ( not sure what happens now it was - on the suggestion of an excellent high profile poet ) Plus I followed up on a Curators commission and put myself forward for a blogging, articles opportunity via a regional literary website . Let's see what can happen with these things eh as I' am just taking a punt ?

Conversely I so glad I am not in the running for a certain national showcase event (though I know some who are) having observed its regrettable in built post code bias in selection over the years. Except it is not really the centre of it all or is it ? It seems to that so many BME artists are competing in one place , like two polar bears on a shrinking lump of an iceberg....obviously they need access to many more wider mainstreamed platforms. Some artists come year after year, usual suspects - it is supposed to be for emerging artists so do they neither really need it or just come anyway as its the thing to do - not sure if its really necessary if things work as they should eh ?

Oh well it is more useful, it seems to me crack on with my own course. This I find can help maintain, freshness, perspective and originality - dancing to my own rhythm. On with the piece, so now I have to cut up the characters text that I have coloured (different colours as to what emotion it conveys) and paste in to a stage timeline /audience engagement graph oooh Simon says ...oh the joys of such an approach suits me perfectly ... he also has suggested a structural device to resolve a number of issues in the orignal Hmmm I am thinking on this in order to satisfy myself as to e overall story arc.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Right then !

So there it is wheels in motion and now just the joy of writing. Deconstructing the backstory, looking specifically at the timeline of the piece and the type and levels of engagement of the audience. This being my latest assigment following my discussion with Simon on proceeding further . Aaaah relief, no more pushing shoving , trying to get resources etc I can just focus on my real joy passion and strength- just writing and accessing my imagination . Imagination being the most precious thing in all of this. Right now it feels like there is space again for it to roam , to expand So right then ! Rebel Dreamin maybe ...